Finding Balance
Most of my blogs reflect my current state of mind or my life journey. Right now, I am navigating the concept of balance in life. In today’s society, the expectations we place on ourselves are high, largely due to the ideals we've been taught about how life is supposed to be, often influenced by the lives showcased on social media, which rarely portray authentic, true selves. The reality is that nobody is perfect. The hustle culture. The grind of waking up at 5 a.m. to hit the gym, reading 20 pages a day, attending school, working, handling household chores, maintaining your car, caring for your pets, keeping up a social life, and managing self-care, is relentless. While I won’t claim it’s impossible, it’s unrealistic to believe that you can accomplish everything every day. This mindset can lead to burnout; it creates a lack of motivation even to start, due to the overwhelming stress that comes before any attempt.
In my opinion, life is about balance. So, how can we find a way to achieve these various goals without giving in to burnout? The answer lies in getting 1% better every day and prioritizing what is most important. Some days, you may want to focus on hitting the gym, stretching, attending school, and going to work. Other days, you might choose to enhance your living environment by vacuuming, mopping, cleaning the bathroom, or taking care of your plants or pets. There will also be days when you might not feel like doing much at all, and that’s perfectly okay. On those days, you can spend your time wisely by tackling smaller tasks that require less mental energy, drawing a bath, participating in your favorite hobby, or simply stepping outside to take a breath of fresh air. Each moment of every day presents an opportunity to improve your well-being. Taking action is always more beneficial than doing nothing at all. Over time, the small efforts accumulate, and before you know it, you are growing and making progress.
I embrace the hustle culture because I have bills to pay, an apartment to maintain, a car to care for, and my mental well-being to uphold. However, I don’t believe humans were designed to endure the level of stress we often experience. We need to slow down just a bit to fully appreciate what is happening in our lives right now. Let’s be grateful for everything we are and everything we are becoming. You don’t need to hustle and adhere to the same schedule every day to feel accomplished. It’s as simple as striving to become 1% better each day.
What strategies do you use to find balance in your life? I’d love to hear your thoughts and tips. Let’s foster a community of support and share our journeys together!
